"Capt'n?! Capt'n Livie?! Spread ye damn eyes open, Capt'n!"
Kya…? Who's calling out to me? Is it...? Peacoat?
BAFF! SPLASH! SHA…!
Haa. Haa...! Aah, my head is killing me. It's like feathers, yet hands like anchors.
Selly, hold...! haa...! on...! mate. Now is not the time to die, I say...! But…! The sea tells a different tale.
"Get them on the boat before the shit hits the fan, lads!" Shouted the voice above the surface of the water.
BAFF!
"Huff! Huff!" He heavily exhaled.
"Look there, mates. It's the Capt'n! Grab hands and pull him on board before Mother Sea devours them."
Bree plunged off the boat into the wicked sea while being held by the legs.
Baba tried his utmost to settle the longboat from the crashing waves that showed no signs of letting up.
Peacoat, on the other hand, was with Bree.
Both of them attempted to free their Captain and crewmate, Selly, from the rough currents.
Clatter! Creak!
"Aah! A little closer," Bree urged as she eagerly stretched out his hands like a hungry fox reaching for succulent grapes. "Eek, I got them! Pull me up. Now! Bucko!"
"HUUUEEEEGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Peacoat shrieked out in strain. "Fock! I know yar is a gal but focking hell, mate! Put ye back into it! The boat may not hold."
"Shut yar beak! Bree's arm got cut!" She squinted her eyes to look further into the water. "Why is there this much force pulling us back...?" And to her surprise, "Ehh?! It's a bloody sailor!"
"A bloody what...?!" Peacoat loudly asked in confusion.
Their troubles weren't over yet as they gazed upon a wave the size of a building heading straight towards them.
"Oh. For fock sake, mon," Baba released a heavy sigh as he held on to the longboat. "Brace yuh self, lads!"
BAFF! SHA...!
--
Meanwhile, in England.
A gentleman stood on top of an elegant balcony with a table of lush fruits. The balcony stuck onto a sumptuous structure made of the densest stone in the land.
He boasted his chest up high like a dove. A pricey grail lay in his right hand, containing an even pricier drink. In his left hand, there was a staff. It glistened so brightly; the night stars felt jealous with how much it twinkled.
Gold dripped from head to toe in the form of headwear, rings, and bracelets. It fit in seamlessly with his expensive garments.
Swish...!
The posh chap stood in tranquil peace, watching over the kingdom until footsteps began to approach him.
Tap, Tap, Tap...!
The steps slowly grew louder and louder towards the opening of the balcony till it ceased.
Tap.
The intruder to the peace hours parked himself in the doorway, "Excuse the intrusion, Milord. However, may I please join you at this time?"
A flick of the fingers twice was all he needed for approval.
The man took his bow and said, "Accept my deepest regards, Lord Tim…!"
"Out with your queries, Phillipe. We don't have forever in our grasp."
Phillipe abruptly stopped with the customs and hesitantly stepped up. "Yes, of.... course, my liege."
He eagerly turned to him, "Well, go on then. Out with it."
"You see, it's about her highness and the…. Gulp! Pirate, Sir."
The King gave a slight chuckle and strolled away. He thereon picked up an apple from the fruit bowl.
"Are you concerned, my noble Advisor?"
"The Princess is.... well. How does one put it? Rather eager to meet her hero."
"It appears so," He replied as his eyes gazed off into the court's garden.
"This can very well be problematic for the Queen's great plans, King Timothy. For her majesty, Miss Rebecca is still young at twenty-two years. Then the fact that there's not one single experience with a male in that manner before is….!"
Phillipe used his hands a lot when he spoke about the topic.
It was likely he wanted to disguise the fact it was shaking like a leaf.
The King walked up to him and asked, "Would you? Have bitten the Apple of Eden?"
Phillipe paused for a brief moment, "Pardon?"
He repeated, "Would you have taken a bite of a fruit out of your greed?"
"Uh, I'm not sure, Sir." Phillipe was a bit chary about giving his frank answer.
The apple got held up in the air as the King said,
"It grew in the center of all the other luscious fruits. Repugnant yet so alluring. One would never know if it's sweet, sour, or bitter. But the thought of not knowing can drive even the most rational men insane."
"Indeed, it can, Sir. Though...!"
"This is the situation with our beloved Rebecca, my Advisor. She has found what seems to be her Apple of Eden. And to my misfortune, it's a bloody pirate!"
Crunch!
He intensely crushed the apple in Phillipe's face.
There was an awkward pause between the two after the outburst for what felt like an eternity.
Within that time, Phillipe had a little ponder. "Hmm...! And the deceiving serpent was the foul abductors."
"Exactly! Now you see it." The King wore a pleased expression. Until he said, "My daughter has taken a bite out of the forbidden fruit. And now she's poisoned with the worst illness of all."
Though Phillipe had faith in his King, he still had some doubts. Or rather, some fears.
"Don't mean to be bad-mannered, Milord. However, does one truly believe William will be capable of dealing with this particular fiend?" He wasn't as rosy as one would think. "The man is known to carry a sword that can capture the souls of all men, beasts, and some even say, Gods."
The King answered with an arrogant look on his face. "Worry not, for the filth one speaks of wouldn't be taking a single step on our country. For William abhors those cursed sea bandits as much as I do."
"A man can detest the night. But he can't halt the sun from setting, your majesty."
"If one fails," He lifted his hand in the air. "Samuel Peters is the other tarrying in the wings to swoop in, Phillipe." Then whooshed it down like a hawk.
"Samuel Peters!" Phillipe's eyes widen with the name. "Can we garner trust in him, Sir? After the whole discord with the Queen."
"One can easily take back what's dealt with one. Especially if it's hope, which one has gotten."
Phillipe had grown a pair. "Same as one giving one a knife and finding it arduous to fetch, said knife."
"Advisor…!" The King's face began to twitch. "Who does one think he is…!"
"Father!" Shouted another intruder in the doorway. But this one, in particular, didn't have to follow such customs as the first.
He placed his finger on his lips and turned to his Advisor with a glaring look. Phillipe totally knew what it meant and made his exit shortly after.
"Well then, please excuse me, my liege. Princess Rebecca, you look as stunning as….!"
"When is my rescuer's arrival, Father!?" Rebecca had cut him off without a care in the world.
Phillipe left the forced smile on his face as he nodded to both of them and heavily walked away.
"Patience, my dear. He will be arriving in due time. Just wait till the day is here." The King smirked a little with the statement. "Still, the sea has been rather untamed lately. Let's hope nothing comes of it."
She pouted while approaching him. "Hmph! Toka will be able to handle those little waves."
"Toka?" He replied in a puzzled state.
"Yes, Toka Livie. He hates it when others call him that, other than Miss Paula, I guess. But you probably only know him as Captain Livie, nevertheless."
King Timothy's face had scrunch up as though he had tasted lime. "I suppose the name does sound a bit familiar."
"Hmm...?" Rebecca had her own eureka moment, "Ah, it was in the letter."
"Uh, yeah. So, is this Miss Paula, one speaks of, the lady from the pub one briefly visited?"
"Yes, indeed she is, Father."
Smush!
What is this on the floor? Is it some fruit or mush? She briefly thought to herself.
"What was….!?"
"Please excuse the timing, Sir. However, Miss Rebecca, the bath we have prepared is ready." Another intruder stood in the doorway wearing a maid outfit.
"Oh, goody! Well, I'm off."
"Indeed, one is. Enjoy the bath, dear."
"Goodnight, Father."
Off your damn mind, but when I think about it. I never saw Rebecca, this fond of a male. Use this grief to your benefit, William. If you honestly want her hand in marriage.
Princess Rebecca departed from the balcony to her master bathroom. The King had stayed there with all kinds of stuff to reflect on.
She skipped blissfully on her way to the bath like a rabbit on a carrot farm.
Her silky blond hair bounced on her dainty shoulders as her bluish-green eyes shone brightly in the torches.
When the fainted wind softly blew on her alluring black dress.
"How is the bath this dusk, Jill?" She kindly asked the modest maid.
"It is very much to the liking her highness desires most." Jill bowed while she answered. Though, she had a bit more to add. "Pardon for the prying, Miss. But the air around you has been rather light lately."
"Hehe…! Nothing gets past you, Jill." Rebecca giggles along with it while she enters the bath. "I'm thrilled to meet my rescuer again soon."
"Does one refer to the pirate who goes by Captain Livie?" Jill began to bathe her.
"He prefers to be called a buccaneer."
"Oh yes, my deepest apologies, Milady," Jill replied. "So, how did this admiration start?"
Rebecca turned her body to look at Jill in the face.
Which made her quickly realize who she was speaking to, "Uh, if I may be so bold to ask, that is."
"When I got abducted, I was trapped below a vile pirate ship. Scared, alone, and cold, but then, Toka came. An angel with the eyes of the devil, it was like a dream." Rebecca was in her own world at this point.
"Wow, how wonderful, Miss Rebecca. Should I say he's your soulmate?" Though Jill was wholly intrigued and was in the world with her.
"Soul...? Mate...?"
"There's a spark in one's body when they feel a bond to someone. It can also happen when they hear the first words by the person."
"The first words, hmm…? Oh, he said, where did those bilge-suckers hide their rum."
"Aww! So, are you going to ask him to marry you?" Jill definitely forgot she's talking to a princess.
"I doubt mother would approve of such a demand. But just meeting him once more would be nice." She smiled and looked over at a shining object on her bedroom table. "Plus, I hold something for him that he will come looking for."
"And when he comes…!" Her gleeful expression suddenly bit the dust as she said in a chilling tone. "…I'm going to kill him myself."
"I wish you two the…!?" Jill's eyebrows flew up to her hairline. "Wait! Ha-ha, may I ask why that is, Milady?"
"Well, you see, my dearest maid. When he rescued me, I had to follow him around like a filthy mutt if I wanted to endure. And he kept calling me Blondie."
"Oh my!"
"That's not the worst of it. Oh no, no, no. It would be the fact! When I had a more open heart to that brute. He decides to leave me on an island for the British Navy to pick me up. I mean, where is the decency." Rebecca eerily stated as she exhaled deeply.
"Goodness me."
"Although, his crew wasn't awful." She began to dig up memories of them. "Kido and Mr. Selly were kind, while Baba was a bit shy. But the Peacoat one was a pouch of hot wind, frankly."
Jill gave her a sly leer as if some of her screws were missing. But she couldn't have shown it, so she awkwardly laughed and sweetly replied.
"I hope your fiery passion sets ablaze his cold heart, Milady."
Plod, Plod, Plod...!
"Thank you, my faithful maid. I…!?"
Bam!
"Princess! Princess Rebecca!" A man panting in armor rushed into her room without a moment's hesitation.
"AH!" Rebecca yelled out in fear.
"Huh? Can't you see she's bathing, you armored brute!" Jill shouted as she tried to conceal Rebecca's body.
"I'm truly sorry, your majesty." The man said in a tired voice. "However, there's terrible news, I'm afraid. It's about the voyage for the pirate Livie."
"What!?" Rebecca asked as anxiety took over her voice.